What’s The Best Way To Guarantee a Productive Work Environment? Work With People Who Do This:

Do you ever notice how quickly work gets done with people you enjoy being around?

And on the flip-side, do you ever notice how painfully grueling the exact same work can seem when you are around people you just can’t seem to vibe with?

There is absolutely something to be said for learning to work effectively with all sorts of different people, but the truth is that we feed off each other’s energy more than we sometimes might want to admit.

Doing great work is all about finding people that bring out of you the best parts of yourself.

But that doesn’t mean you’re looking for “yes” friends.

These people should also know how to challenge you — but do so in a way that reaches you, instead of repels you.

In anything and everything you do, the reason why it is so important to focus on the energy of those around you, and how you feel around them, is because it ultimately dictates far more of your success than anything else. You will not be able to perform at your highest level if you are constantly stressed. You will not be able to bring ideas to the table if you do not feel heard. And you will not be able to tap into your true value if you feel like you aren’t surrounded by people who welcome your input.

At the same time, if get involved in a project and realize that you aren’t a good fit for that team dynamic, it is also your responsibility to either adjust accordingly or move elsewhere. It is a careful balance of being aware how others around you affect yourself, and how you and what you bring to the table affects others.

Energy is something that does not get discussed in business very often.

Business can be a very “heady” and logical industry.

In fact, we praise those who say, “Business cannot be emotional. You cannot make emotional decisions.”

I disagree.

I think business has far more to do with emotion than many would prefer to acknowledge.

Emotion is tied to our intuition. Emotion is tied to our gut. Emotion is often what guides some of our best decision making, and is most valuable when paired evenly with logic.

In terms of interpersonal relationships, emotion is, and will always be, our primary judge. If you do not work well with someone, that is emotional. If you always feel stressed around someone, that is emotional. If you do not feel heard, or you feel hesitant to speak up, that is emotional.

Much of the biggest issues that people spend trying to fix in business are, in fact, emotional — and yet, the motto continues to be, “You cannot make emotional decisions.”

Pay attention to who you work with, and more importantly, how you work with them.

It is the energy you both bring to the situation that will ultimately define your individual and collective success.